


One Way or Another

by Northern_Star



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: F/M, First Date
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-24
Updated: 2012-12-24
Packaged: 2017-11-22 05:04:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/606114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Northern_Star/pseuds/Northern_Star
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They'd skipped over their first date, going straight for a kiss.<br/>Perhaps they should have skipped over this date, too...</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Way or Another

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jedishampoo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jedishampoo/gifts).



"Major?" Odo called after Kira as they both exited Captain Sisko's office. "Could I have a word?"

"Yes, Odo, of course," she replied, turning to face him, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Major—" he began, then abruptly shook his head before starting over in a softer tone. "Nerys... I, uh, was wondering if..."

"Yes?" she prompted, a twinkle in her eyes.

"Look, I know we... well, we sort of _bypassed_ our first date, and..." he gestured vaguely, hoping she might understand anyhow. "Well, anyway, I was wondering if— hoping, actually— that perhaps we could... you know, if you _wanted to_... perhaps we could have an actual first date."

Kira smiled sweetly. "Dinner?" she asked, "Dancing? That sort of thing?"

"Yes," said Odo, a little stiffly and nervously. They'd kissed the night before, and very publicly at that, but that didn't mean he wasn't still a little nervous about asking her out on a proper date. "I promise not to take you anywhere near a holosuite," he added, forcing himself to relax.

Kira leaned in a little closer, running a hand down Odo's arm. "That sounds nice," she said. "Should I expect a kiss at the end of the evening, as well?"

"Definitely," Odo replied, returning her smile. Then, leaning in as well, he whispered to her ear, "Or before... and during... but definitely after."

Someone nearby cleared their throat. 

Odo pulled back, cocking his head in the direction of the security officer who'd interrupted the moment. He sighed, then looking back at Kira said, "Tonight? Nineteen hundred hours?"

"I can't wait," she replied, smiling widely.

*-*-*

Kira took a long look at herself in the mirror to make sure everything was in order. She'd worn a midnight-blue dress she thought looked appropriate for a first date — just sexy enough without being too revealing. It was almost nineteen hundred hours. She had butterflies in her stomach.

There was a buzz at her door just moments later. Taking a deep, calming breath, she called, "Come in," then waited, smiling, for her date to enter. 

The door slid open to reveal Odo, dressed in a replica of a suit that hung in the window of Garak's shop. "You look...beautiful," he told her, standing there with as much of an expression of awe as he could demonstrate.

"And you're very handsome in this suit," she replied, giving him a once over. 

"Dax suggested it. She insisted I should at least _try_ to look like I'm worthy of escorting a pretty lady to dinner."

"Well... as long as the lady is me," Kira replied, smiling. 

Odo nodded slowly. "There's none prettier on the station," he told her softly, before offering her his arm. "Shall we go?"

"Let's."

All of a sudden, a voice erupted in the room. "Sisko to Major Kira," it said.

"Go ahead," a startled Kira answered, hoping this wasn't an emergency.

"I'm still waiting for your personnel report, Major..." the Captain said. "I was expecting it over an hour ago."

Kira's eyes went fractionally wider. "Apologies, Captain, I'm sending it to you right away. Kira out." She headed over to the nearest console, punched in a few commands, then looked over to Odo and said, "Sorry about that... I think my head might have been a little bit elsewhere today..."

"I couldn't imagine why," Odo deadpanned, and together the exited the room.

*-*-*

It was only a short walk from Kira's quarters to the small, out of the way restaurant she'd suggested they go to.

"Right there," she said, when they came within sight of the small neon sign.

But when they got in front of the door, they noticed it would not open. The sign was lit up though, but it seemed like the restaurant might be closed. 

"Mmm. Maybe I should have checked first," Kira commented, trying to catch a glimpse of the inside, through a small frosted window.

"When was the last time you came here?"

"I don't remember..." she replied, looking up to him, with an air of confusion on her face. "A while I suppose?" she laughed. "How about we go to the Celestial Café, then? Oh, or perhaps the Klingon place? They make the greatest Krada legs you've ever had."

"Whichever you prefer, my dear," Odo replied with a small shrug. "I'll attempt to recreate something that looks similar to what you're having, whatever that may be. It's all the same to me."

"Klingon it is," Kira replied with a quick nod, leading Odo in the direction of the establishment.

*-*-*

"Then you should have thought to make a reservation!" the Klingon host told them brusquely.

"Yes, but—" Odo attempted, though he knew it was normally useless to try to reason with a Klingon. 

"But nothing," said the Klingon, looking at them with contempt. "Now move along, you are blocking the entrance."

"Who knew this place had suddenly become so popular?" Kira asked in a clearly unamused chuckle as they walked away.

"Perhaps the result of competing establishments going out of business?" Odo suggested. "You know, I could probably find a way to encourage some of their patrons to get back to their work posts..."

Kira gave him a dubious look. "You wouldn't..." At his mischievous smile, she shook her head, adding, "It's not worth it, Odo. Let's just—" she sighed. "Would you mind so much if we just went to Quark's? At least we're sure there's room, _and_ it's open." 

"Why would I mind?"

"Because it's _Quark's_ ," Kira replied, laughing.

"Nerys," Odo told her with the utmost seriousness, "As long as you're with me, I don't care where we are. I really don't."

"Charmer," she said in a falsely accusing manner, before taking his hand in hers and leading him toward Quark's bar.

"Well, well, if it isn't—" the Ferengi owner started saying, as Kira and Odo walked inside his establishment.

"Not a word," Odo immediately cut in, a menacing finger held up in Quark's direction.

Quark rolled his eyes theatrically. "Fine, fine, there's a table right over there, out of the way, where no one will bother you," he said, gesturing to his right with a long-suffering sigh.

"Thanks, Quark," said Kira, winking as they walked in front of him.

*-*-*

"And here you are, Major," said the waiter, depositing a plate before her. "Kohlanese stew and a glass of Gamzian wine. Enjoy." He set the glass down on the table, then turned on his heel and left as quickly as he'd come.

"Bon appétit," Odo said, lifting his glass up.

Kira smiled fondly at him, lifting her own glass. "It's not quite as fancy as... what was it again? Oysters Rockefeller?"

"Yes, I believe that was it."

"But at least it's real food," Kira chuckled, taking a first bite from her dish. 

"Well, I hope you enjoy it," said Odo, nodding, as he took a forkful of stew from the matching plate that had materialized before him — a plate of stew he'd recreated and would only really pretend to eat, but a plate of something approximating food nonetheless. 

They'd only just begun their meal when Leeta walked by their table. "Well, hello there," she said brightly. "It's so nice to see you here," she added, looking specifically at Odo. "I hope you're enjoying your evening."

"Yes, we are," Kira replied, glancing at Leeta, then looking to Odo with a smile.

"If you two need anything special, or if there's anything I can do to make your evening more enjoyable, you be sure to let me know," Leeta offered. "Things are kind of slow at the Dabo tables tonight... Oh, but maybe we'll see you there later on?"

"Maybe," said Odo, a little stiffly. 

"Yes, maybe," Kira echoed, a forced smile on her lips. "Thank you, Leeta."

"Enjoy your meal!" the bubbly Dabo girl exclaimed as she sauntered out of sight.

"Where were we?" Kira asked, a look of relief on her face. 

"I believe you were telling me about—" Odo began, only to be interrupted almost immediately.

"Major Kira! Odo!" said a delighted Julian Bashir. "Just the people I was looking for! I've just received a brand new holonovel and we need a few more—"

"No thank you, Doctor," Odo cut in, "The Major and I aren't going anywhere near the holosuites. Not tonight."

"Are you sure, because—?"

"Yes," Odo insisted through clenched teeth. "We're _very_ sure."

"Maybe next time," Kira added in a kinder tone, patting Julian on the arm gently. "I hope you have fun, though."

"Thanks," said Julian, looking a little deflated. He went on to wish them a pleasant evening before walking off to find someone else to rope in for his holo-adventure.

"And here I thought Quark had mentioned no one would bother us," Odo grumbled unhappily.

Kira looked around. "Well, they're both gone now," she said, smiling. "Let's forget about them and go back to our date, what do you say?" 

Odo's attention, however, seemed to momentarily be elsewhere.

"Odo?" Kira asked, frowning. "What's going on?"

"Mmm? Oh. I'm sure it's nothing," he replied, looking over her shoulder at something that was going on behind her.

"What—?" she asked, turning her head to see what could possibly have grabbed her date's attention this way. 

Two men seemed to be in a heated conversation by the entrance of the bar.

Looking back to Odo, Kira took one of his hands in hers and said, "Never mind them... Security will take care of it, if need be."

"I _am_ Security," Odo told her, his expression turning more concerned by the second.

"No, you're off duty, and—" 

"All right, that's gone far enough," Odo abruptly said, getting out of his chair and heading off in the direction of the brawl that was just starting.

Kira sighed heavily, and took a couple quick forkfuls of her stew. Then she tossed her napkin on the table and left.

"Come on," she told Odo, once she got within earshot of him. "We're leaving... Or at least, I am." She walked away, determined, at a rapid pace.

"Kira?" Odo called after her. "Wait—" He caught up to her, she was already out of the bar and headed back in the direction of her quarters. "Nerys..." he said in an apologetic tone, "I'm sorry... I ruined our date, didn't I?"

"You didn't," she replied. Then in a sigh, she went on, "It's not _you_. It's well... first it was the Captain, then the closed restaurant, and the rude Klingon, and Leeta, and Julian, and to top it all off, there just _had_ to be a brawl at Quark's!" She laughed. "Perhaps we should have gone to the holosuite, after all."

Odo cocked his head to the side and in a soothing tone, suggested, "Then how about... how about we head back to your quarters, lock the doors, turn off our communicators, and just spend the rest of the evening together. No bells, no whistles, just us."

"I think that's a great idea. Besides... who ever said we had to go to dinner and dancing? Didn't we skip right over these last time, anyway?"

"Mmmm, I believe last time we went right for this instead..." Odo began, then he leaned in, pressing his lips to Kira's. "I think I like this better anyway," he told her.

"Me too," Kira agreed, kissing him again.

 

> End.


End file.
